Time for a few Thursday Things. A few eye-catching and noteworthy items this week include:
1. Ellen DeGeneres is opening a vegan restaurant in L.A.
If I’m ever in that neck of the woods, I’d love to check it out.
There are about 8997898 restaurants on my Want to Check Out list.
2. Decide.Com Know when to buy TVs, Laptops, Cameras and Phones. Set up alerts for your future product purchase to be in the know about price changes, rumors and product releases.
This could come in especially handy for holiday purchases.
3. I picked up an Advent Calender for Skylar.
I have such fond memories of counting down to the Birth of Baby Jesus during the month of December.
And even fonder memories of opening those little doors just waiting to see what treasure was waiting inside for me.
For the DIY or vintage enthusiast – cross stitch your own iPhone case
5. Nielsen – Massey Vanilla Extract is the bee’s knees of vanilla. If you’re a vanilla fiend like I am, I highly recommend it.
6. This Nike 3-in-1 Bellevue Jacket
The shell. The vest. Alone or combined.
I like that it’s athletic wear with a funky pattern made to look like the sweaters I grew up wearing in the 80s. Retro print meets modern technology.
7. The winner of the Organic Produce Giveaway is:
Rachel @ The Avid AppetiteNovember 16, 2011 at 8:04 am
“Jealous of your getaway 
I am a huge holiday decorator…I transform my whole place to Christmas!”
Congrats, Rachel!
8. A National Geographic Adventure Tour of Belize. Kayaking, hanging out in the rainforest, snorkeling and exploring caves and coral reefs? I could suffer through that I suppose.
- Kayak, snorkel, and swim at some of the richest coral reefs in the Caribbean, including Turneffe atoll and Lighthouse Reef.
- By special arrangement, gain private access to a subterranean Mayan cave and explore its cathedral-like chambers.
- Spend two nights camping on Half Moon Caye’s secluded beach and explore its rich marine habitat.
- Discover Tikal’s stunning archaeological wonders nestled in the jungles of Guatemala.
9. I was interviewed and featured on Deborah of Taste and Tell’s Blog. I was honored that Deb asked me and enjoyed the Q & A sesh.
10. Baked Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts with Vanilla Peanut Butter Glaze
They’ve been a Thursday Thing. And a Wednesday thing. And probably a Friday thing, too.
Questions:
1. Have you seen any things lately that have you excited? Food, products, people, places, trips? What are your things?
2. Do you have any restaurants you want to check out? Any trips you want to take or places you’d like to visit?
I have a bucket list about a mile long of restaurants in California, NYC, and other places that I want to try, too. At the rate I’m working my way through them, I’m sure by the time I’m 92 I’ll have crossed at least three off my list.
One restaurant I really want to cross off my list one day is Thomas Keller’s French Laundry. Better bring an appetite for 22 courses and plan my reservation a year in advance. One of those once-in-a-lifetime restaurants I want to experience.
Have a great day and the weekend’s in sight. Woot!
i did a thursday things post too!!! i love all of the things you shared esp the iphone case thing! too bad I dont know how to sew for the life of me LOL but If I did I would be all over that!
I am loving the starbucks clover brewed coffee..ahh I will never go back to the normal brew! I heard that about Ellen SO awesome! she rocks :)
I’m working my way through the NYC restaurants now! My staple when I’m in LA though is good ole Urth Caffe… a favorite standby.
Aww and I love advent calendars! No matter that we’re all grown up, my Mom still surprises us with them every year… mine has been the one covered in glitter since I can remember!
I too was a huge fan of the Advent calendar growing up… I kind of want one now! :)
Trader Joes for like 99 cents! I was a huge fan too growing up!
My family didn’t do advent calendars growing up, but now that I’m an adult I want one! Jeremy says next year we can do them–we’re traveling for the holidays this year, so not much point.
Cool info about Ellen Degenerous. Love her!
Oh, god, my to eat at list is too massive. And then Jonathon gold has to come out with his 99 essential LA places and I realize I’ve only eaten at 9 of them and I’m more behind:) let me know if you are in LA crossing stuff off your list!
The vanilla looks great, though I gotta recommend making your own-that was actually my latest blog post, and it’s totally easy and satisfying to do…eek, that was shameless self promotion, sorry.
Anyway, yeah, endless restaurant lists, I feel you on that one!
I have more “I want to’s…” than I have time. Ugh! I wish I got up to LA more often but sadly I don’t. The lists I have are..endless…of places I want to go!
I used to LOVE those advent calendars with the little Christmas themed chocolates inside! Great childhood memories of the anticipation I experienced every evening when I finally got to find out what was behind the little paper windows :-)
I am kicking myself now for passing up a bottle of that Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract at the Marshall’s store where I was shopping the other day. I didn’t know it was THE best…wonder if it would still be there!?!
I’ve been pretty excited about all of the seasonal flavored teas that Kath from KathEats has been posting about: gingerbread, pumpkin pie ice cream and chestnut! I’ve been dropping hints that ‘Santa’ should bring me some for my Christmas stocking this year!
i absolutely adore ellen degeneres. she is such a kind, humane and generous person. i’ve been watching her show recently and the compassion she shows for other people is so inspiring.
other than that, i’m excited by the new fold over uggs i just found and put straight on my christmas list. that and lululemon’s “the mat”. i’m in desperate need of a new yoga mat.
Your cracking me up with all our donut love lately!
Brooke
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.blogspot.com
How fun are these posts!!! Love them!! YES, omg, I want everything new from Lululemon :) they have the cutest jackets and stuff!! I also really want this new handbag I saw ;)
There a are a few new restaurants here in vancouver that I can’t wait to try!! YUM!
xxoo
I have so many restaurants that I want to try the problem are most of mine are too far away like New York. I have been drooling over Pure Food and Wine for 3 years. Its on my goal list :)
I almost linked Pure in NYC but just spaced it out. Yes, want to go there too!
I know!! I am so excited to check out Ellen’s restaurant. I love her and ALL that she represents. :)
So pumped I am in LA for this one. :)
I love Ellen! Their restaurant is definitely on my list. I have a bunch in NYC, but even right here in good old Massachusetts I have a ton. It makes healthy living/healthy wallet goals slightly difficult!
I have plenty of places I would love to visit. Top on the list is Italy. I would love to visit wine country someday as well. And then of course any beach vacation is right up my alley
I’ll meet you in Napa. When are we going? :)
I actually use that specific vanilla all the time! It’s wonderfully authentic and flavourful – it’s all I use for baking! I also like it in oatmeal or tea.
We’re getting pretty fancy up north, with our high-class vanilla and all!
“The bees knees of Vanilla” eh? I’m a vanilla addict (I actually prefer it over chocolate) so i’m totally sold!
Love the phone stitch idea too – how fun!
Since I live in OC I have a list of LA restaurants I want to try out…the problem is, the list keeps growing and I never seem to make it up there!
ALL of the SoCal restaurants…and then we’ve got San Fran…it’s never ending :)
Hi Averie! I love your blog and your honesty! I just checked out your guest posting Q&A and my vita mix is my favorite kitchen tool as well. I am drinking my kale and spinach smoothie as I write this. I have recommended it to all of my friends and were hooked :) It’s been the best and easiest way to sneak in a few more greens each day for myself and my kids.
Lately, I am most excited about making new vegetarian dishes (weird, I know). I have been cooking up a storm of amazing vegetable dishes lately that my kids have been loving. I wish our parent’s cooked vegetables the way we do! I might of liked them as a kid. I also love sweets and have a huge sweet tooth.
I want you to know that I have a kitchen aid mixer and I never use it, and I bake a lot! I have always just used my hand held mixer and it works like a pro.
I just wanted to comment as I just found your blog a few days ago and I love it!
Have a blissful day!
Thanks so much for the Kitchen Aid info…I really want one but would be going from bowl and spoon to…that. Talk about an upgrade if I get one.
Thanks for reading and the sweet comment!!
Hi Averie. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You will not regret the kitchen aid especially if you are moving up from a spoon: ) I received mine as a wedding gift 14 years ago and I don’t have all the right attachments and honestly I don’t even understand how to order them, so there it sits collecting dust :(
I wish I could reply to comments on my site, but I am on blogger and it does not have that capability. I just started blogging so it would be such a pain to switch to word press. Oh well!
BTW, I have some great kale and spinach smoothie recipes to try with your vita mix. One I have not posted yet, but it’s a great cleanse. You basically take 2 granny smith apples, a cucumber, some Kale leaves (about 3) add water and ice to taste. This one is for people who don’t mind the taste of kale. The other 3 smoothie recipes that I have posted you don’t even taste the spinach or kale. My kids love
the spinach one.
OK, it’s getting dark out and it’s not even 5:00. Welcome to winter!
One great thing about getting off Blogger was the ability to do comment replies to people’s inboxes otherwise who knows if they see them. People probably don’t remember to go check a blog after they leave it, ya know. I hated that about Blogger…the lack of ability to reply.
My Vitamix ‘recipes’ are always just whatever i have on hand. I’ve had my machine for 5+ yrs so there’s very few combos I havent tried…some better than others. :) ha!